Women's Basketball Setback at RV Illinois

Tuesday, February 17

Urbana-Champaign, Ill.

7 PM

Rutgers University

9-17,1-14Big Ten

Illinois

18-8,8-7Big Ten

Rutgers

Illinois

Photo by: Ben Solomon

Feb 17 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Rutgers women's basketball team (9-17, 1-14 B1G) couldn't get past RV Illinois (18-8, 8-7), dropping a 76-56 decision on Tuesday night at the State Farm Center.

Faith Blackstone paced the Scarlet Knights with 13 points in her return while Nene Ndiaye added 10 points. Imani Lester also netted nine points after missing three games.

Didn't miss a beat 👏#GoRU | #RUWBB | #NextLevel pic.twitter.com/eJIWFYxkh0
— Rutgers Women's Basketball (@RutgersWBB) February 18, 2026

How it Happened

Kaylah Ivey struck first with a jumper before Nene Ndiaye and Janae Walker combined for three more points. Illinois hit a top of the key three to get on the board, but Rutgers stayed on top, 5-3.
The opponent netted another three with just under seven minutes to play to take the one-point edge. However, after missing three games, Imani Lester hit her first shot back with a big three to give RU back the 8-6 lead, just before the 4:23 media timeout.
With 3:47 to play, the opponent added five points. Lester combated the spurt with a fade away jumper, but Illinois converted a three-point play on its next possession.
After missing the last two games, Faith Blackstone came up clutch with the final shot of the opening quarter, but the home team stayed in control, 14-12.
The Fighting Illini started the second quarter off with four consecutive points to force a Scarlet Knights timeout with 8:53 to go and keep the 18-12 edge.
The Illinois offense continued their momentum after the stop scoring another eight points. Nene Ndiaye got Rutgers going with a basket, but the opponent remained in front, 26-14, with 4:09 on the clock.
The Fighting Illini recorded another three-point play with 2:25 remaining in the half, but Lester hit two shots at the line and Lauryn Swann followed up with a bucket to cut the deficit to 11 points.
The home team added a layup, but Swann stayed hot with her first three-pointer of the contest. Illinois scored four more points before the end of the second period to take the 35-21 lead into the locker room.
Zachara Perkins netted the first bucket of the third quarter, but Illinois matched the score on the next possession. The opposition added two more layups to extend its lead, 41-23, before an RU timeout at 7:20.
The Fighting Illini added four more points, but Lester once again halted the progress with a jumper. Nene Ndiaye and Blackstone combined for three points, but the opponent sunk two shots from beyond the arc before the 4:47 media timeout to stay ahead, 51-28.
Illinois hit two more baskets out of the break, but Perkins got back on the board with a left-handed layup.
With 1:25 to go, the opponent kicked out for another three, but Blackstone responded with a layup. The Fighting Illini added one more basket while Perkins shot a free throw to end the third quarter, 60-33.
The opponent scored first to start the final 10 minutes, but Blackstone came back with consecutive layups. Illinois called its first timeout two minutes into the final quarter.
Perkins kept it going after the pause with another layup to cap a 6-0 run, however, the home team came back with seven points of its own. Nene Ndiaye didn't quit though, recording a three-point play with 5:37 to play, 69-42.
Both teams netted five points apiece, including a contested jumper from Nene Ndiaye and a deep shot from Blackstone. Janae Walker cashed in on a free throw to complete another six-point stretch for RU.
The teams stayed balanced with two points each until a pair of three-pointers from Kennedy Brandt.
Deja Young ended the contest with a free throw but Illinois still came out with the 76-56 victory.

Knights Notes

Faith Blackstone scored a team-best 13 points against the Fighting Illini, her fifth time this season leading the team in scoring.
With 10 points, Nene Ndiaye has reached double figure points in 19 games this season.
Kennedy Brandt netted two threes in the final quarter of play for a career best six points in her home state of Illinois.
Antonia Bates paced RU with six rebounds, her 10th game this slate topping RU in the stat.
Rutgers won the final quarter, 23-16.

Next Up

Rutgers will return to Jersey Mike's Arena to take on Penn State for its Senior Day/Blackout game on Saturday, Feb. 21 at 4 p.m. on the Big Ten Network.

Follow Along

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